Photo by ISI Photos
Michael Bradley is scoring goals for fun.
The U.S. national team midfielder netted his 12th goal of the season in all competitions to help Heerenveen post a 4-0 romp against AZ Alkmaar on Saturday. Bradley headed home a cross from close range to score Heerenveen’s fourth goal of the day. He also helped set up is team’s third goal with a perfect pass to spring Miralem Sulejmani. Here are the video highlights of the match.
Bradley’s goals and overall play should have clubs from throughout Europe taking a closer look at him during this January transfer period and you have to think that it won’t be long before clubs from Europe’s bigger leagues start expressing interest.
Another former MetroStar, goalkeeper Tim Howard, enjoyed a good weekend. Howard helped Everton post another victory to move into fourth place in the EPL.
Here is how all of the Americans playing in Europe’s top leagues did this weekend:
ENGLAND
Tim Howard started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Everton’s 2-1 win against Wigan on Sunday.
Marcus Hahnemann started, played 90 minutes and made five saves in Reading’s 2-0 loss to Manchester United.
Bobby Convey started, played 80 minutes and drew a yellow card for Reading.
Jonathan Spector came on as a second-half substitute and played one minute in West Ham United’s 1-1 vs. Manchester City on Sunday.
Clint Dempsey started and played 90 minutes in Fulham’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday.
Carlos Bocanegra started and played 90 minutes for Fulham.
Brad Friedel started, played 90 minutes and made four saves in Blackburn’s 1-1 tie with Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Eddie Lewis came off the bench and played 58 minutes in Derby County’s 3-1 loss to Portsmouth on Saturday.
Benny Feilhaber did not dress for Derby County.
Jay DeMerit started and played 90 minutes in Watford’s 1-1 tie with Charlton.
HOLLAND
Michael Bradley started, played 90 minutes and scored a goal and added an assist in Heerenveen’s 4-0 win against AZ Alkmaar on Saturday.
SPAIN
Giuseppe Rossi started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Villarreal’s 3-0 win against Valencia.
Danny Szetela dressed but did not play in Racing Santander’s 1-0 loss to Barcelona on Sunday.
Share your thoughts on this weekend’s performances below.
What about Gabriel Ferrari? Why is there no mention of him?
Bradley has played in roughly the same position all season… recently he has been given even more license to get forward with the absence of Alves, but he is still playing box to box in central midfield at any rate. His positioning and timing on secondary support runs into the box have just kept improving since last spring.
As my flat mate (and Heerenveen fanatic) from Friesland has often pointed out over the last three months, Bradley is one of the highest rated players at any position in the Eredivisie at the moment based on the weekly season long performance evaluations in many of the Dutch newspapers. Of course, this is no surprise, as we have enjoyed his menacing form for veen’ in the last 10 months.
Heerenveen has actually back tracked from statements that he will be sold in the summer, so that is not set in stone, Dominghosa. (For what its worth I still think they will sell).
Ives, I agree that European clubs will continue to be interested, but I sincerely hope Bradley will avoid the EPL and head to Italy or Spain – where international winners are more likely to be made. Hopefully, he starts getting respect as the best American player under 21 at the moment.
Giuseppe Rossi started, played 90 minutes and drew a yellow card in Villarreal’s 3-0 win against Valencia
and IVES,
Rossi had an ASSIT on Villarreal’s 3rd Goal
Rossi is as American as the posters on this board — none of whom, I am fairly certain, play for the USMNT either …
Ives, you definitely need to keep us updated on Mathis’ adventures in Greece whenever he gets started…
“Michael Bradley is scoring goals for fun.”
hahahha
Jonathan Spector played for one minute? Wow, but I guess that’s better than not even dressing for a game.
Agreed, the Rossi debate is getting much too old. Every week, it’s Rossi-U.S. this and Rossi-U.S. that. Enough already.
I believe Ives has a soft spot for Rossi since he has known Rossi since Rossi was a kid.
If he wants to list Rossi every week. So be it. If you don’t like him, just don’t pay attention to those two lines.
Anyway, regarding Bradley — Heerneveen has alrady come out and said they will sell Bradley in the summer.
So yes, we will see Bradley move on to a bigger and better league and team. To where and for how much will be fun to keep track of.
Please keep the Rossi debate away — even BSoccer has ended the quarreling. Even more mystifying was the Nelsen comment, who is from New Zealand.
Rossi haters – I’m assuming you’re new to the blog? If not, you would have seen the discussion on Rossi last week (or every week before for the past 2 years). Allow me:
http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/01/post-3.html#more
P.S. Concerning Rossi and the USMNT. I don’t think you should say he doesn’t care about the US. Those that say that, what if you moved with your kids to another country for a job. Your kids end up good enough to play for the USMNT or the country where you’re working? What would you like your kid to do? I don’t know Rossi, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was not an easy decision for him, in that he has deep feelings for his family’s adopted country and his family’s native coutnry. I wish he had chosen the U.S. and I think financially and professionally it would have actually been better for him to do that, so it seems to me he followed his family’s heart, and I respect that.
Dear newbs,
We have this debate every single week. It is apparent that enough of us want to follow Rossi that Ives has decided to keep him in. Please stop whining.
Love,
Joamiq
“I couldn’t care lessa about Rossi . . . He is American in name only”
I think “Rossi” is an Italian name. Maybe not?
Rossi played a nice game for Villareal, although he wiffed on a close range gimme goal. He set up a couple of goals with some beautiful passing. I know its been covered ad nauseum and there’s no chance that he’s playing for the USMNT, but if he had chosen to, I think he might have been the piece of the puzzle that might have put the USMNT up into the category of teams that would have a legitimate if darkhorse chance to challenge in 2010.
I’ll join the chorus of ‘I don’t care about Rossi.’ No point in following him. He doesn’t care about US, we don’t care about him.
I see I’m not the only one tired of seeing Rossi listed as an American (granted, you’re far from the only writer who does this). Please; let it go.
I watched the highlights of the Reading-Man. U. game, and I gotta say, if it wasn’t for Hahnemann, Reading would’ve lost 5-0. He had some really great saves.
Szetela just needs to get comfortable with playing in Spain, just as Felhalber should do the same in England.
Ives,
I am hearing that no MLS teams are moving for Benny. Is his price to high? Would any MLS teams have to make him a DP, and that is turning them off. He has got the goods he just needs a regular place to deliver them. Where will it be?
No word yet on clubs looking at Michael Bradley, but given his amazing season and age I think it’s safe to say he’s on the radar screen of some bigger clubs.
Actually, regarding Bradley, he’s been usually playing as a right-sided two way midfielder in a 4 man midfield. Recently (maybe just this game, maybe the past few games), he’s been pushed into a CAM role (probably because of his goalscoring form).
And about Szetela, give him time. As long as he’s training with the first team (I don’t know if he is), he’s getting better.
Agreed, as of – what is it? – February 1st Rossi should be off the list, I really don’t care if he’s from Clifton. To be honest, I’m more interested in Dorman, Ryan Nelsen and other MLS alumni.
Any news on Gibbs????
Hey Ives. Can you elaborate on which teams exactly are interested in Mike Bradley? I’d be really curious to hear what kind of looks he’s getting. Man, he’s having a great season.
Actually, Adu played the second half in Benfica’s 1-0 win over CD Feirense in the Portuguese domestic cup on Saturday.
Had another solid performance, by all accounts.
I couldn’t care lessa about Rossi, pls don’t list Rossi since he has set his sights on playing for the Azzuri. He is American in name only
ssartor, the Portuguese league is still in winter break – I think it returns this week.
What’s happening with Freddy Adu? Haven’t heard much about him lately…
Timmy really blew it on the goal scored.
At least it didn’t cost them points.
Has been a bit more shaky over the last 4 or 5 matches. Not playing poorly, but having lapses. Hope he comes out of it.
Ives,
Another complaint about Rossi. It should be listed under Spain & not Italy.
Ives,
Timmay had a decent game for Everton but he was at fault for the one goal they gave up. he came out pretty weakly for a cross and didn’t get to it before it bounced around and went in as an OG.
It is great Bradley keeps scoring but as another poster pointed out, people need to realize he is playing in a completely different structure and position than he does for the U.S. Nats…his scoring prowess now doesn’t translate to the national team unless he is deployed differently….maybe I am just stating the obvious…
Hoya: Yes, that is his regular position with the club unlike the national team which seems happy to waste him playing 2 feet in front of Gooch.
Szetela not getting in the game seems like BAD news for him. RS was down a goal and he was their last attacking option on the bench when their AM went down and they brought in a defender. That’s not exactly a vote of confidence for a kid when the team had been playing great defense up until that point and only were a goal down because of a mis-struck clearance.
Oh and no ‘but Danny is young!’ B.S. He’s 20 already which isn’t a youngster in footballer terms. Ask Bojan and Dos Santos (who should be moved from Barca immediately, he’s just not up for it)
Is it me, or is Dempsey simply better than every one of his teamates out there. He just seems to have vision, skill, and composure that the rest of his team can’t emulate. Somebody needs to scoop him up because his talent is wasted for the club at the moment.
I was in London for the Fulham match this weekend. Bad result but if was my first live Premiership match, so it was fun either way. They need to get it together and quick. They have the talent to stay up.
Szetela has only played on a Copa del Rey game so far, and has only been dressing in the last few weeks due to injuries.
Andy Dorman – had an assist for St. Mirren (and could’ve had goal #4 according to the report on soccernet . . .)
Ives, do you have any idea of the specific clubs that could possibly be lining up for Bradley? Thanks.
Looked like Bradley was playing something of CAM position in those highlights. Is this his normal position for Heerenveen?
Anyone know who has the record for most goals by an American in a season?
“Danny Szetela dressed but did not play in Racing Santander’s 1-0 loss to Barcelona on Sunday.”
Is he ever going to get a game?
Funny that you listed Rossi under Italy 🙂